CSIS Pekingology
Podcast

Pekingology

China is one of the 21st century’s most consequential nations, and it has never been more important to understand how the country is governed. Pekingology is the podcast that unpacks Chinese politics, the inner workings of the Communist Party, and how China's domestic and foreign policy will impact the world. Pekingology is hosted by Henrietta Levin, Senior Fellow with the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS.

 

Pekingology is produced by Gina Kim.

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All Pekingology Podcast Episodes

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Pekingology

Avoiding War in the South China Sea

Henrietta Levin is joined by Greg Poling, Director and Senior Fellow of the CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative and Southeast Asia Program, for a wide-ranging discussion on China’s strategy, successes, and failures in the South China Sea.

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin and Gregory B. Poling — July 9, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

China Was Ready for the Age of Anarchy

Sam Chetwin George, Senior Fellow at the Asia Society’s Center on U.S.–China Relations and Research Fellow at China Heritage, joins to explore Beijing’s evolving perspectives on the post-World War II order and what comes next.

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — June 25, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

Inside the China-Russia Partnership

Henrietta Levin is joined by Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. They examine how Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have deepened their ties, what China gains from supporting Russia's war in Ukraine, and where the limits of their “no-limits” partnership may lie.

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — June 11, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

Can China Control North Korea?

Henrietta Levin is joined by Adam Farrar to unpack China’s complex relationship with North Korea. They discuss what the Trump-Xi summit revealed about Beijing’s position on denuclearization, how much leverage China actually has over Pyongyang, and why Kim Jong Un keeps creating problems for Xi. 

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin and Adam Farrar — May 28, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

Trump and Xi Meet in China

Henrietta Levin is joined by Jon Czin to discuss the May 14-15 summit between President Trump and President Xi in Beijing.

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — May 15, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

China and the Iran War: Beijing's Ambitions in the Middle East

Henrietta Levin is joined by Aaron Glasserman to unpack what China is really trying to achieve in the Middle East, how China is approaching the U.S. war against Iran, and what this all means for the upcoming summit between President Trump and President Xi.

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — April 30, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China

Henrietta Levin is joined by Eyck Freymann, a Hoover Fellow at Stanford University and author of the new book, ⁠Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China⁠.

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — April 16, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

How the Chinese Communist Party Stays in Power

Ben Hillman joins to explain how the Party has managed to stay in power, becoming the world's second-longest ruling party (barely losing out to North Korea's communist party) and maintaining an iron grip on power across vastly different phases in China's development. 

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — April 2, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

Decoding China's Two Sessions: Politics, Purges, and a New Five Year Plan

Neil Thomas joins the show to discuss the significance of China's recent "Two Sessions," the state of China's elite politics and purges, highlights of the 15th Five-Year Plan, and who might rise to important roles during Xi's fourth term.

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — March 19, 2026

CSIS Pekingology